50+ architecture for hotels | No low beds and definitely a ‘pee light’
The rooftop restaurant and outside Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton
The hotel room of Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton
Thoughtfull details at the hotel room of Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton
Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton - in room coffeemaker 
Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton - the bathroom
Maison Heler Metz - A Curio Collection by Hilton - the key and a mini steamer in the closet
Recently, we had an interesting discussion among colleagues about 50+ architecture for hotels. When is a room truly suitable for guests aged 50 and over? Do older travellers really find a lower bed a problem? And how important is it that guests aged 50+ appreciate your hotel room? I belong to that target group myself, we travel as often as possible and almost always stay in hotels. Did you know that this target group accounts for over 40% of the Dutch population? And hotels don’t have many guests under the age of 20 either!
No matter how trendy the hotel concept is, we constantly run into plenty of fellow 50+ travellers! So, to answer that question about importance right away: yes, it does matter. One colleague also asked whether we really appreciate a so-called ‘pee light’. A ‘pee light’? Excuse me?
A blog by Marjolein van Spronsen
50+ architecture | higher beds, non-slip bathroom floors and yes a “pee light”
According to that colleague, a ‘pee light’ is a motion sensor that activates a soft light in a dark room. He had experienced one that created a glowing ring of light around the bed, “a bit too much,” as he said. His partner sat upright the moment he got up!
Some design elements have become well-known in what we could call ‘50+ architecture’: higher beds, those ‘pee lights’, walk-in showers, and non-slip bathroom floors. As you get older, you start to appreciate these features more and more. A great example of this thoughtful design approach can be found at Maison Heler in Metz, where the details are beautifully executed, yet this hotel also appeals to a younger audience.
Maison Heler Metz | Storytelling to the max
Last spring, we visited Maison Heler Metz, A Curio Collection by Hilton, and several aspects of the hotel truly impressed me. Back in 2018, we already wrote about the plans for Maison Heler, mainly because it promised to be so different from a standard hotel. The design, a castle on top of a high-rise, is by Philippe Starck, who based the project on his own novel ‘The Meticulous Life of Manfred Heler’. Details from the book are woven throughout the property: in the artwork, the restaurants, “Manfred’s Secret Alphabet” hidden in the wallpaper and woodwork, and even in the bolts of the concrete, engraved with Manfred’s image.
Maison Heler Metz – A Curio Collection by Hilton
The hotel rooms
I’ve never been this enthusiastic about a standard hotel room (25 to 29 m²). The 104 rooms and suites are full of clever details: a solid, soundproof door; an entrance area with a toilet, luggage space, closet, and desk; and inside the closet, even a small steamer. In the center of the room stands a bed with a headboard that integrates light switches, charging points, and a power outlet. A large sliding wooden wall with mirrors conceals the shower area, safe, and coffee corner. The air conditioning is not directed at the bed and is easy to adjust. The shower room is compact, but every detail has been considered and a ‘pee light’. It became clear during our discussion that younger generations also appreciate most of these thoughtful features.
In short: are you planning a new hotel or renovating existing rooms? Then definitely take a look at Maison Heler for inspiration!
